The present invention may be used in the home or a similar setting to provide an improved method and apparatus for storing, organizing, and displaying articles. Necklaces, bracelets, chains, and other elongated articles may be suspended from the spokes of the rotatable tiers to prevent these articles from tangling or becoming knotted. Other articles such as rings, pins, pendants, earrings, watches, and the like, that are not easily suspended, or that the user prefers not to store and display in such a manner, may be stored in a compartment or drawer of a lower level tier. Thus, the present invention stores, organizes, and displays multiple types of articles of varying sizes in one easily accessible and space saving location.
The following references, which are discussed below, were found to relate to the field of article storage and display: Hayes U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,720 (“Hayes”), Trautlein et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,099 (“Trautlein”), Nava U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,466 (“Nava”), Shih U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,985 (“Shih”), Moss U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,601 (“Moss”), Pomper U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,710 (“Pomper”), and Idelberger U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,346 (“Idelberger”).
Hayes discusses an apparatus for displaying jewelry that includes a plurality of vertically spaced and horizontally disposed display rings retained in a concentric orientation by a center support rod and a plurality of connecting members extending between adjacent rings. At least one of the rings has a plurality of outwardly protruding fingers adapted to support ring-type jewelry while other of the display rings include hook means for supporting bracelets, necklaces and the like and openings therethrough for receiving earrings.
Trautlein discusses a display stand for holding jewelry or similar articles including a circular display member having one or more separations through which articles may be slid to position the articles on the display member. Sleeves are mounted slidably on and arced identically to the display member such that the sleeve slides between an open and closed position with respect to the separations. A user may slide the sleeve between locked and unlocked positions with respect to the separation such that articles suspended on the separation may not be removed when the sleeve is closed, but may be removed when the sleeve is open.
Nava discusses a holder for jewelry items and watches that includes illumination and an upwardly mounted support member for storing and displaying these items. A base with a flat surface is provided for both structural integrity and to house the batteries and/or wires that provide the electrical energy to the holder's illuminating device. A horizontal support member includes bends to allow watches or other similar items to be positioned thereon. Also, a hook member is rigidly mounted to the underside of the horizontal member such that other jewelry items can be suspended from it. Furthermore, one or more frustoconical members are rigidly mounted to the vertical support members for holding rings and other similar items.
Shih discusses a jewel box including, inter alia, a base, an enclosure, a hanger, and a cover. The hanger and cover are affixed to a telescopic tube such that removing the cover from a corresponding aperture in the enclosure in an upward motion with respect to the base causes jewelry suspended on the hanger to be removed from the enclosure for access by the user. When the cover is replaced in the enclosure aperture, jewelry suspended on the hanger re-enters the enclosure and is protected from environmental particles such as dirt, moisture, etc.
Moss discusses a storage container for elongated pieces of jewelry. The storage container includes a base having a cover and rigid jewelry support rods attached to the upwardly facing surface of the base. The cover may be removed from the base to display jewelry hanging on the support rods. Moreover, the cover may be rotated with respect to the base, and a closeable opening in the cover allows access to elongated pieces of jewelry stored on the distal ends of the jewelry support rods without removing the cover from the base.
Pomper discusses a merchandise display stand having a vertical post assembly mounted on a horizontal base, spokes mounted on the upper end of the vertical post assembly upon which merchandise may be hung, and a separate continuous ring. The spokes and the ring move relative to each other between a first position in which the ring abuts with the ends of the spokes such that merchandise may not be freely removed from the spokes and a second position in which space exists between the ring and one or more of the spokes such that the merchandise may be freely removed from the spoke.
Idelberger discusses a combination display and donning facilitator for use with a bracelet having interlocking ends. The combination includes a base that rests on a horizontal surface, a post that extends upwardly from the base, and an arm that extends across the post parallel to the base. The arm includes an alligator clip that releasably grasps an end of a bracelet to facilitate donning of the bracelet. After the bracelet is donned on the user, it may be released from the alligator clip.
As illustrated above, the prior art is completely devoid of methods and apparatus for organizing, storing, and displaying articles that include one or more stationary or rotatable tiers for both suspending and storing articles within one or more compartments or drawers.
In addition, the prior art does not contain methods and apparatus for organizing, storing, and displaying articles that includes one or more stationary or rotatable tiers for both suspending and storing articles within one or more compartments or drawers, wherein the tiers have vertically adjustable heights.
Further, the prior art fails to disclose methods and apparatus for organizing, storing, and displaying articles that includes spokes having a plurality of bends that prevent articles stored on the spoke from sliding toward and entangling with adjacent articles.
Moreover, the prior art fails to disclose methods and apparatus for organizing, storing, and displaying articles that includes drawers configured to minimize the outer diameter, or the width and length, of the storage device.
Thus, in light of the prior art discussed herein, there is a clear need for a method and apparatus for storing, organizing and displaying articles that combines all of the aforementioned features to allow multiple types of articles to be stored and displayed in one easily accessible and space saving location.